Artest will be speaking the Triangle offense to Kobe instead of parting words next season

I guess it’s over. Wrap it up. Place your bets. Just go ahead and slate the Los Angeles Lakers in for a spot in next year’s Finals.

I wouldn’t blame you. With news coming out of Los Angeles today on an agreement between the Lakers and Lamar Odom, barring injury, the Lakers will have no choice but to repeat as Western Conference Champions for a third straight year.

If it was already a nation of Laker Haters, then President Obama is going to have to do something about border control because the resigning of Odom and the addition of Artest is going to mean several more anti-L.Aians jumping the fence, standing in line to kick rocks at the purple and gold.

Even though former outcast turned superstar Trevor Ariza split title town and agreed to join forces with the Houston Rockets, the Lakers didn’t sweat it, they just went ahead and added a better piece to their puzzle in Artest.

While Artest may not be the up-and-coming ultra-athletic defender that Ariza is, he’s still one of the premier locksmiths in the league with a better all around offensive game.

The summer of 2010 is supposed to be the Y2K of the NBA. The year when systems go haywire, fantasy leagues turn upside down, and more money gets dished out than a Vegas upset payout.

But the summer of 2009 is becoming more and more exciting by the week.

Jefferson moved to San Antonio, Shaq joined forces with LeBron and Carter went back home to Florida.

You could argue that each of the names on that list is probably a bigger headliner than Artest’s or Odom’s is right now, but none of which was a bigger transaction than the addition of the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year or the resigning of the most versatile 6-10 forward in the league.

Artest, Bryant, Gasol, Odom and Bynum is more size, skill, and length than what any competitor in the West or the East has to offer right now.

And with Odom renewing his vows to team, Los Angeles may take a run at the 72 mark that Jordan’s Bulls put up back in 95.

Relax Kobe, Odom's coming back after all

No joke, I can really see a possible run at the NBA record for the Lakers. They finished last year at 65 wins without even trying and does anybody remember the last time some media labeled defensive nut joined forces with the best player in basketball?

Yup, the year was 95, Clinton had the country on cruise control, music was actually likeable and Dennis Rodman was running the court with good ole 23 to a tune of 72-10.

No wonder Phil Jackson announced his plans to return for next season.

I mean after all, the Zen Master was controlling the reigns for the Bulls that season and Artest’s announcement probably made coaching away games next year appear less of a daunting task for the aging Hall of Famer before he even got word of Odom’s resigning.

Dwayne Wade and LeBron James have to be somewhere throwing darts at their Kobe posters.

Artest was this close to signing with Cleveland and Odom was even closer to signing with Miami.

Ah well, guess we don’t have to worry about that.

Artest is headed for Hollywood, Odom won’t be getting a tax break and the only thing us non-Laker fans can do about it is just sit here with our mouths wide open praying for a miracle.

Man-oh-man, Odom resigning isn’t only a definite threat to the league but a crushing blow to my online subscription for the NBA 2K series on Xbox.

I can see the cheaters now, putting Kobe and Artest in the backcourt, running Odom, Gasol and Bynum up front. I’m shaking my head just thinking about it.

Even with all that firepower, it still wouldn’t be enough to keep me from playing my favorite video game and I’m sure it won’t keep the hundreds of professionals in the league from playing their favorite game as well.

No way is some verbal agreement or some resigning going to keep us all from playing the video game or the sport we love.